Psionic
A psionic is a human with an abnormal amount of psychic energy, or PSI. The psionics in Tartra belong to the Rothschild Institute of Psionics. Characteristics Psionics have a mutation that causes them to emit an excessive amount of PSI compared to a normal person. This causes them to manifest psychic abilities. In their natural state, psionics have little to no control over their abilities, which act randomly or under stress. Because of this, they are augmented to control their powers. Augmentation is performed by the Rothschild Institute upon a psionic's mandatory admission into the Institute. Without augmentation, a psionic is a potential danger to themselves and those around them. No one is entirely sure what causes a person to be a psionic. It appears to be an inborn mutation, but does not appear to be hereditary; psionics can be born in families that have no history of psionics, and two psionic parents does not mean a psionic child. Powers typically manifest around or shortly before the onset of puberty. Stress may be a factor in the early manifestation of psionic powers. As far as appearances go, psionics are visually identical to non-psionic humans, aside from the scarring left by implants in augmented psionics. Abilities Psionic powers can manifest in various forms. Not every psionic exhibits the same collection of powers. The presence and skillful use of all these abilities is rare. This list is potentially incomplete. Psychic powers cannot be used indefinitely, and trying to do so will exhaust the user to the point of passing out if they’re not careful. The stamina for using powers varies a lot from person to person. Classes Psionics are sorted by Class by the Rothschild Institute depending on the strength of their abilities and their level of control. They are first assessed for class roughly a year after augmentation, and are assessed at the end of each year after that until graduation from the Institute. History Main article: History of Psionics and the Institute Dude there's so much and there's so much overlap between psionic history and Institute history that I'm just giving it its own page instead of typing the same stuff up like 8 times. Rothschild Institute of Psionics The Rothschild Institute of Psionics is the organization to which all of Verdamt's psionics belong, save for fugitives and deserters. Duty to the Institute supersedes duty to home and country. In essence, it is a micronation whose independence is recognized by its surrounding countries--small and dependent, yet politically powerful in its own right. All territories allied to the Institute--most notably Verdamt--give them ownership of any psionics who are born or live within their borders and are legally obligated to deliver them to the Rothschild Institute. The psionic in question has no say in the matter, and it is mandatory for them to "enroll" in the Institute and undergo augmentation. While psionics are essentially prisoners of the Institute, they have some boons and freedoms. Living within the Rothschild Institute guarantees them safe access to implants/augmentation, room and board, healthcare, combat training, and education. Once their education and/or ultimate evaluation is completed, they are free to do as they please in their work--to either work through the institute or pursue careers independently--but they do so indebted to the Institute, owing them a portion of their earnings and their continued loyalty. Breaking this obligation can get a psionic recalled to the Institute for imprisonment or awarded fugitive status. Psionics who are not abled are released from monetary and work obligations, but their quasi-citizenship remains and their continued loyalty is expected. View within Vedamt In Verdamt, psionics are primarily associated with law enforcement, elite mercenarywork, and secret service-type jobs. Because of this, they are viewed with clashing perspectives: they are both heavily intertwined with Verdamt's politics and law, yet ultimately answering to a different world power. In the interest of both Verdamt and the Rothschild Institute, efforts have been made to normalize the presence of Institute psionics working with official Verdamt business in the eyes of the public, but each still watches the other with distrust. Despite the unpleasant history of psionics in Tartra, the fear and distrust of psionics is comparatively low since the invention of augmentation over 300 years ago. While not exactly beloved, they have moved on to the status of being a strange but powerful "other" rather than just a reason to fire up the witch burning stakes. Psionics Outside of the Institute's Influence Outside of the Rothschild Institute and its allies, other nations have varied ways of dealing with their psionics. These methods are often messier, as the Rothschild Institute's augmentation specialists and methods are markedly superior and close kept. Augmentation technology is shakier, having been reverse engineered from Institute tech and trial and error. Non-Institute allied countries may attempt to set up similar arrangements to the Institute within their own governments, or attempt to remove psionic powers from their population entirely through augmentation. Helzmuth, before its downfall, attempted total militarization of their psionic population. Psionics who live in Tartra, but have no ties to the Institute are extremely rare. They are either fugitives or simply undiscovered. Category:Psionics Category:Divergent Humans